Adapter for inside installation of air conditioners of the window mounted type



1959 H. E. BREHM, JR.. ET AL 7 2,871,778

ADAPTER FOR INSIDE INSTALLATION OF AIRI'CONDITIONERS OF THE-WINDOW MOUNTED TYPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ed Jan. 20, 1954 3 INVENTORSI, How/m0 f. Bea/ k 2 BYAZBEPTF, MEI/ELL ATTaRNEy Feb. 3, 1959 H. E. BREHM, JR, ET AL 2,871,778

ADAPTER FOR INSIDE INSTALLATION OF AIR CONDITIONERS OF THE WINDOW- MOUNTED TYPE Filed Jan. 20, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 MWMIJM INVENTORS,

5' [-7 4 How/M 0 BIPEHMLJP.

Away-F. MITCHELL A 7' TOPNE Y H. E. BREHM, JR,

Feb. 3, 1959 ET AL 2,871,778

ADAPTER FOR INSIDE INSTALLATION OF AIR CONDITIONERS OF THE WINDOW MOUNTED- TYPE {5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 20, 1954 INVENTOR} Hon n20 E. Bee-H le- ,6 7 yALfiERTE MTG-HELL ArroRrvsy United States Patent ADAPTER FOR INSIDE INSTALLATION OF AIR IT.I0NE,RS OF ,THE WINDOW MOU IED Howard E. .Brehm, IL, Cleveland Heights, and Albert F. ISZIjtcheIL'ERst .:C leveland,.Qhio, a s gn y mes assig ments to Hun Corpora i n, etro t, Mi h, a corporation of Virginia Application January 20, 1954, Serial No. 405,151 claims rcl- 98- 4.)

This invention relates, generally, to the type of .air conditioners that are mounted in windows. Heretofore, a conditioner of this type has been secured in place upona window sill beneath a raised sash with the outer or rear portion of the unit extending a considerable distance .outside the window.

'It may be pointed out that thekind of air condition.- ing apparatus with which our invention is concerned includesifacilities forvheating air, as well as for cooling and circulating the air and yentilating the room. It is desirable, therefore, that the apparatus .be available for immediate use at anytime during the year.

The mounting of an air conditioner in the manner above described has several disadvantages. The rear portion of the unit is exposed to the elements at all times; the projecting or'overhanging outer, rear end of the unit, especially where several are used in an apart.- ment or .other building, is unsightly; the possibility of parts falling outside the building during installation presents an element of risk, and the presence of the unit in the window interferes with, or prevents, washing the window.

Our invention is an adapter comprising a walled structure .or cabinet that is open at its rear end, and that is adapted to be located within a room adjacent a window with the'rear .end of the cabinet inside and in close proximity to the vertical plane of movement of the window sash. This cabinet encloses the portion of an air conditioning unit or apparatus that ordinarily projects through the window opening and overhangs the outer ledge of the Window.

'An object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive adapter of the above character that may easily and quickly be installed, and in which the rear end portionofa-nair conditioner of the above mentioned type may be disposed; the adapter being sealed about its forward end to .the :front casing section'of the conditioner, and providing ample space for air circulation about the enclosed portion of the con- :ditioner.

Another object .of the .invention is to incorporate in the adapter .a sealing strip that is movably .or swingably mounted on the top rear portion of the adapter so that said strip may be extended into sealing engagement with the lower sash of the window when the latter is raised sutficiently to uncover or expose the entire rear end of the adapter cabinet, and which sealing strip may be retracted .or folded back out ,of thewaY when it is .desired to :lower :the sash.

A further object is :to provide a door that is hingedly connected to one of :the rearyvertical corners of the cabinet, for closing :the area of the window opening laterally of the cabinet, :in cases where the window is wider than the adapter, sealing means :being associated with {the door for efiectively closing the joints between :its top, bottom and side edges and the adjacent portions of the window. sash, frame :and sill. Obviously, if it is desired to locate the adapter :in spaced relation to may be hinged to each of the front .ver-tical corners of the adapter cabinet.

The foregoing objects and advantages, with others that will appear as -this description proceeds, areat- :tainedin the embodiment of the invent-ionsillustrated in the accompanying-drawings, wherein like-parts-are-designated by likereference characters throughout the vsoy.- eral views. H V

In the drawings: I I

Fig. l is aperspect-ive view of the adapter installed in a window in association :with an airconditioning unit, the lower sash of :the window being shown as raised, and the door that 3 forms apart of the adapter .asi'rbeing in closed position;

Fig. 2 is anoutsideview .of the window with the sash raised and showing theadapter cabinet .and theenclosed casingsection in rear elevation;

Fig. 3 is azvertical section from :front to rearthrough the cabinet of the adapterand the enclosed casing sec- .tiomwith thefunctional parts of the air conditioning apparatus indicated .in broken lines, the view showingthe window sash raised and sealed to the front topportion of the adapter cabinet, the plane of section being in'dicated,by ..the lines $573 .ofFigs. 2 and 4, the present view being drawn to a scale .somewhat larger than that of thepreceding figures;

Fig. .4 is a vertical transverse section through the adapter cabinet and the .enclosed casing section, the viewbeing taken substantially on the "line 4+4 of Fig.3, and broken awayin the region of the door;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, substantially on-the lines 5?5 .of' 'Figs. '3 and 4; Fig. ,6 isa horizontal section through the closed win- .dow above the plane .of the adapter, .the viewinclirding the rear end portion of the adapter cabinet in plan-with the sealing strip folded back over the cabinet and the door in open position, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line-'77 of Fig. 6.

The adapter is designated, generally, by the reference numeral 1, and it comprises a cabinet made up, in part, of a top wall 5 and side walls 6 and 7. The top and side walls are joined through curved portions of comparatively large radii, the walls and said curved portions desirably consisting of parts of a continuous sheet of metal. At the lower ends .of the side walls said sheet is turned abruptly inwardly to provide bottom wall sections -8 that are formed along their inner edges with upstanding flanges .9 (Fig. 4:).

The rear edges .of the walls 5, .6 and 7 are flanged inwardly and are secured, as by welding, to the vertical flange of a three-sided angle iron frame 10, as shown in Figs. 3, .4, 5 and 7. Connected by a hinge 12, desirably of the piano type, .to the top horizontal flange of the frame :10, is a sealing strip 14 that carries an elongated pad 15 of sponge rubber or the like.

'Built into :the cabinet, and constituting in effect, a part of the adapter, is a casing section '16. This element is borrowed from, and normally is a constituent of the air conditioning apparatus designated, generally, by the reference numeral 18. Said apparatus, 'per se, forms no part of the present invention, the functional parts thereof being indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3. The apparatus includes a front casing 20 that is provided with louvered air passages .or openings 21, and with a rernovable closure 22 for a top opening through which the controls 23 of the apparatus maiy -be.reached for adjustment. The :functional parts of the apparatus are supported by a base 24.

At .the front .endof the adapter cabinet, a relatively deep flange 25 ,(Fig. 3') .depends'irom the top wall -5, and similar flanges 2.6 (Fig. 5) extend inwardly from the side .walls 6 and 7. The flanges 26 are shown as secured, by fastening means or screws 27, to the underlying portions of a marginal wall 29 that extends across the top and down the sides of the adapter cabinet. A trim strip 30 has a web portion that is secured, along with the outwardly flanged front end of the casing section 16, between the flanges 25 and 26 of the adapter cabinet and said wall 29. The downwardly flanged rear edge of the top wall of the air conditioner casing 20 is engaged within offset portions of Z clips 31 that are secured in laterally spaced relation to one another across the upper portion of the marginal wall 29, one of such clips appearing in Fig. 3.

Angle rails 35 (Figs. 3, 4 and extend from near the rear end of the adapter cabinet forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front end thereof, and the vertical flanges of these angle rails are engaged with the previously mentioned flanges 9 of the bottom wall sections 8. The lower portions of the side walls of the casing section 16 overlap the inner sides of the vertical flanges of said rails, and are secured thereto, and to the previously mentioned flanges 9, by fastening means or bolts 37.

The rear ends of the rails 35 overlie the window sill and are secured thereto by screws 38. A flange extends forwardly from the lower edge of the rear wall of the .casing section 16, and an elongated pad 39 of sponge rubber or other suitable material is attached, as by an adhesive, to said wall and flange for engagement by the rear end of the base 24 of the air conditioning apparatus, thereby to seal the space between said base and the ad jacent part of said casing. In the region of the front end of the cabinet, the rails 35 are tied together by a cross bar or channel 40. A leg attaching member 42, shown as a shallow downwardly opening channel, is welded or otherwise secured at its opposite ends to the rear ends of the rails and carries internally threaded sockets 43 into which are screwed the upper ends of tubular legs 44. Applied to the lower ends of the legs are caps 45 of rubber or the like. The top wall of the casing section 16, adjacent its rear end, is connected through spacers 48 to the top wall 5 of the adapter cabinet.

In the present installation, the adapter is situated at one side of the window; and the adjacent side flange of the front frame thereof is secured, as by screws 50, to the side of the window frame. A Weatherstrip 51 of suitable character is desirably compressed between the opposed parts of the frames so as to effectively close the joint between said parts. Connected, as by a piano type hinge 52,

to the opposite side of the front frame 10 is a door 53.

This door is adapted to be swung between a position alongside the adapter cabinet, as when the window is closed, to a position within the plane of the rear end of the cabinet, when the free edge of the door is in contact with a stop 54 that carries a sealing strip 55 of sponge rubber or the like and against which the free vertical edge portion of the door is adapted to be firmly held by a latch 56, the keeper of which cooperates with the stop 54. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stop 54 is in the form of an angle bar. The sealing strip 55 is secured by a suitable adhesive to one flange of said bar, while the other flange thereof is fastened to the adjacent side of the Window frame, with a Weatherstrip 57 compressed between said flange and frame. Connected to the top of the door is a relatively wide elongated metal plate 58 that has secured to its top surface, adjacent its edge remote from the door, a pad 59 of sponge rubber or the like. This pad 59 is in line with the previously mentioned pad 15, when the door is closed and the sealing strip 14 is thrown forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. A Weatherstrip of conventional character, designated 69, is secured to the inner side of the door along the lower edge thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. This strip preferably includes a felt element that sweeps over the window sill and remains in Contact therewith when the door is closed.

With the adapter installed as described, the air conditioning apparatus 18 may be emplaced by projecting the rear end portion of the apparatus into the casing section 16, as indicated in Fig. 3, the apparatus resting, through its base 24, on the horizontal flanges of the opposed angle rails 35. The apparatus is clamped, at opposite sides of its top portion, to the marginal wall 29 of the adapter cabinet, by means of studs 67 that project forwardly from said wall, and wing nuts 68 that are appliedto the studs. After the apparatus is thus mounted and connected to the adapter cabinet, the casing 20 of the air conditioner is engaged with the front of the cabinet in a manner previously described and as illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 5. In the former view the rear top flange of the easing is shown as engaged with the Z clips 31, and in the latter view the inwardly flanged rear edges of the sides of the casing 20 are shown as confined by retaining flanges 76. These flanges project rearwardly from the vertical edges of laterally extended portions of the side walls of the casing section 16 which portions are secured, by fastening means or screws 71, to the marginal wall 29.

Attention is directed to the fact that the casing section 16 has air passages along its side walls, as well as in its rear Wall, and that the spacing of the side walls of the casing section from the corresponding walls 6 and 7 of the adapter cabinet is such as will afford ample space for unobstructed air circulation.

It is evident from the foregoing that our invention provides an adapter of relatively simple construction that may be quickly and conveniently installed in a window, where it may remain throughout the year without interfering with the closing and cleaning of the window. Removal and storage of the conditioner during the winter season is unnecessary, and whenever it is desired to close the window, the sealing strip 14 is turned inwardly over the adjacent part of the cabinet, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, and the door 53 is swung back alongside the cabinet, as shown in the former of these views, permitting the window sash to be lowered.

While we have described in detail a specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to such details further than is required by the terms of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. An adapter for inside installation of an air conditioner of the window mounted type characterized by a removable front casing; said adapter comprising a casing section made up of a top wall and side walls, certain of which walls are provided with air passage means, the casing section being open at its front end, substantially parallel laterally spaced rails extending along the lower edges of the side walls of the casing section from near the rear of the casing section a substantial distance beyond the front end thereof, a cabinet enclosing the casing section and consisting of a top wall and side walls that are spaced a substantial distance from the corresponding walls of the casing section thereby to provide an air conducting space between the walls of the cabinet and the walls of the casing section that communicates with the interior of the casing section through the aforesaid air passage means, the cabinet being open to the atmosphere at its rear end, bottom Wall sections extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls of the cabinet and joined to said rails, a marginal wall bridging the space between the front ends of the cabinet walls and the corresponding ends of the casing section walls, a rearframe to which the adjacent ends of the cabinet walls are attached, means securing said rear frame to the frame of a window with the former frame inside and closely adjacent the vertical plane of movement of a window sash, a sealing strip extending along and movably connected to the top of the rear frame and adapted to be shifted between an idle position inside said plane and a position beneath a raised sash for sealing engagement with the bottom thereof, a door hingedly connected to onelend of the rear frame and having sealing means along its upper end that is in alignm'ent with said sealing strip when the door is 'in-closed position, means for sealing the joint between the rear frame and the adjacent parts of the Window eleswhere than along the top and said end of the rearframe, sustainingmeans secured to and depending from the forward ends of the aforesaid rails,land means for removably attaching the aforesaid front casing of the apparatus to the front end of the cabinet, the air conditioning apparatus exclusive of said front casing being adapted to be supported by said rails.

2. An adapter for inside installation of air conditioning apparatus-of the window mounted type; said adapter comprising a casing made up of a top wall and side walls, certain of which are provided with air passage means,

the casing being open at its front end, substantially parallel laterally spaced rails extending along the lower edges of the side walls of the casing from near the rear of the casing a substantial distance beyond the front end thereof, a cabinet enclosing the casing and consisting of a top wall and side walls that are spaced a substantial distance from the corresponding walls of the casing thereby to provide an air conducting space between the walls of the cabinet and the walls of the casing that communicates with the interior of the casing through the aforesaid air passage means, the cabinet being open to the atmosphere at its rear end, bottom wall sections extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls of the cabinet to said rails, the front ends of the cabinet walls being joined to the corresponding ends of the casing walls, a rear frame to which the rear ends of the cabinet walls are attached, means securing said frame to the frame of a window with the former frame inside and closely adjacent the vertical plane of movement of a window sash, a sealing strip extending along and hinged to the top of the rear frame and adapted to be swung between an idle position over the adjacent end of the cabinet and a position beneath a raised sash for sealing engagement with the bottom thereof, means for sealing the joint elsewhere between the rear frame and adjacent parts of a window, and sustaining means secured to and depending from the forward ends of the aforesaid rails, the air conditioning apparatus being adapted to be supported by said rails.

3. An adapter for inside installation of air conditioning apparatus of the window mounted type; said adapter comprising a casing made up of a top wall and side walls, certain of which are provided with air passage means, the casing being open at its front end, supporting means for air conditioning apparatus adjacent the bottom of the casing and extending from near the rear of the casing a substantial distance beyond the front end thereof, a cabinet enclosing the casing and consisting of a top wall and side walls that are spaced a substantial distance from the corresponding walls of the casing thereby to provide an air conducting space between the walls of the cabinet and the walls of the casing that communicates with the interior of the casing through the aforesaid air passage means,-the cabinet being open to the atmosphere at its rear end, bottom wall sections extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls of the cabinet to said supporting means, means joining the front ends of the cabinet walls and the corresponding ends of the casing walls, a rear frame to which the rear ends of the cabinet walls are attached, means securing said rear frame to the frame of a window with the former frame inside and closely adjacent the vertical plane of movement of a window sash, a sealing strip extending along and movably connected to the top of the rear frame and adapted to be shifted between an idle position inside the aforesaid plane and a position beneath a raised sash for sealing engagement with the bottom thereof, means for sealing the joint elsewhere between the rear frame and adjacent parts of a window, and sustaining means secured to and depending from the forward end of. the aforesaid supporting means.

4. An adapter for inside installation of air conditioning apparatus of the window mounted-type; ,said adapter comprising .a casing made up of artop wallandside walls, certain of which walls are provided with air passage means, .the casing being open at its front end,vsubstantially parallel laterally spaced rails extending along the lower edges of the side walls of the casing from near the rear of the casing a substantial distance beyond the front end thereo f, each rail including substantially right angularly related flanges, one of which is substantially vertical while the other occupies a generally horizontal position and extends from the vertical flange in the direction of the opposed rail, a cabinet enclosing the casing and including a top wall, side walls, and bottom wall sections all consisting of integral parts of a sheet of metal, the top and side walls of the cabinet being spaced a substantial distance from the corresponding walls of the casing and said bottom Wall sections having upstanding flanges along their inner edges that are secured, with the lower edge portions of the side walls of the casing, to the vertical flanges of the rails, the spacing apart of the top and side walls of the cabinet and casing providing an air conducting space that communicates with the interior of the casing through said air passage means, said walls of the cabinet and casing being joined together forwardly of said air passage means, a rear frame to which the adjacent ends of the cabinet walls are attached, means connecting and spacing apart the top walls of the cabinet and casing near their rear ends, means for securing said rear frame to the frame of a window with the former frame inside and closely adjacent the vertical plane of movement of a window sash, means for sealing the joint between the rear frame and adjacent parts of the window, a marginal wall joining the front ends of the casing and cabinet walls, sustaining means attached to and depending from the front ends of the rails, the rails being adapted to support air conditioning apparatus with its rear portion in the casing, said apparatus including a front casing, and means for detachably connecting said front-casing to said marginal wall for enclosing the front portion of said apparatus.

5. An adapter for inside installation of an air conditioner of the window mounted type that is characterized by a removable front casing; said adapter comprising a casing section made up of a top wall and side walls, certain of which are provided with air passage means, the casing section being open at its front end, substantially parallel laterally spaced rails extending along the lower edges of the side walls of the casing section from near the rear of the casing section a substantial distance beyond the front end thereof, a cabinet enclosing the casing section and consisting of a top wall and side walls that are spaced a substantial distance from the corresponding walls of the casing section thereby to provide an air conducting space between the walls of the cabinet and the walls of the casing section that communicates with the interior of the casing section through the aforesaid air passage means, the cabinet being open to the atmosphere at its rear end, bottom wall sections extending inwardly from the lower ends of the side walls of the cabinet and joined to said rails, a marginal wall bridging the space between the front ends of the cabinet walls and the corresponding ends of the casing section walls, a rear frame to which the rear ends of the cabinet walls are attached, means for securing said frame to the frame of a window with the former frame inside and closely adjacent the vertical plane of movement of a window sash, a sealing strip extending along and movably connected to the top of the rear frame and adapted to be shifted between an idle position inside said plane and a position beneath a raised sash for sealing engagement with the bottom thereof, means for sealing the joint else.

where between the rear frame and adjacent parts of a References Cited in the file of this patent window, sustaining means secured to and depending from the forward ends of the aforesaid rails, and means on UNITED STATES PATENTS said marginal wall for removably attaching the aforesaid 1,916,907 Sargent July 4, 1933 front casing of the air conditioner to the front end of 5 2,047,169 Weiland July 7, 1936 the cabinet, the air conditioner exclusive of said front 2,560,467 Moore July10, 1951 casing being adapted to be supported by said rails. 2,620,638 Grandinetti Dec. 9, 1952 

